1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lance having an improved tip or nozzle utilized in the art of steel making, other refining processes, oxygen injection, and particularly to the method known as the basic oxygen furnace operation. The present invention relates particularly to a forged and machined copper nozzle, but may also apply to a cast tip of similar configuration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art concerned particularly with forged and machined copper tips or nozzles includes designs of water cooling and by-pass arrangements which are arranged to create an optimum velocity within the passages which is intended to provide for greater cooling efficiency in the critical areas of heat transfer thereby increasing the useful life of the nozzle during steel making operations. Most of the designs of the prior art include a central communicating chamber within the nozzle tip which the individual water passages communicate and a high degree of turbulence results. However, by virtue of these designs and the central communicating chamber, a local decrease in the velocity flow also occurs which is highly undesirable in the heat transfer is decreased and the benefit of the high velocity cooling is thus greatly reduced. In the present design, the optimum velocity is attained while minimizing the turbulence which is the most desirable arrangement to guarantee proper cooling and thus insuring long life of the tip or nozzle.